1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to packaging systems and in particular to packaging systems for data processing systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a system, method and computer program product for providing audio-guided deployment of data-processing systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increasing penetration of computers and information technology into the lives of Americans, a division in quality of life has developed between those with access to computing technology and those without. Services available to those with access include a wealth of commercial, social, and informational opportunities. Unfortunately, studies suggest that Americans with disabilities are less than half as likely as their non-disabled counterparts to own a computer, and they are about one-quarter as likely to use the Internet.
Computer technology and the Internet have a tremendous potential to broaden the lives and increase the independence of people with disabilities. Those who have difficulty leaving their homes can now log in and order groceries, shop for appliances, research health questions, participate in online discussions, catch up with friends, or make new ones. Blind people, who previously waited months or years for the information they needed to be made available in Braille or on audiotape, can now access (through text-to-speech adaptations to web browsers) the very same news stories, magazine articles, government reports, and information on consumer products at the very same time it becomes available to the sighted population. People who have difficulty holding a pen or using a keyboard can use the latest speech recognition software to write letters, pay their bills, or perform work-related tasks.
While these new technologies hold great promise, the computer revolution has left many people with disabilities behind. Studies suggest that only one-quarter of people with disabilities own computers, and only one-tenth ever make use of the Internet. Elderly people with disabilities, and those with low educational attainment, are even less likely to take advantage of these new technologies.
Just as with people who are not handicapped, the installation and deployment of new computing devices is a significant barrier to initial access for people with disabilities. Deployment usually depends on the ability to decipher manuals which, while they sometimes make sense to the experienced user, are not particularly helpful to the novice. What is needed is a method to simplify the deployment of new computing devices.